Reclaim your brain. It’s being robbed.

Last year, I got a screen time notification on a Sunday that made me GASP.

Let’s just say it was not a proud moment.

I was calling myself an entrepreneur, trying to build a coaching business from scratch… and I’d somehow spent 18 hours that week on Instagram. WTF? 😱

Add another 5 on The Guardian and a sprinkle of YouTube rabbit holes, et voilà: all my time, gone. And my brain? Absolute mush.

The breakdown by app was even worse. I was reading The Guardian while watching CNN commentators yell at each other in the background (anxiety buffet, anyone?).

Honestly, I still don't know what I was hoping to find in that digital mess. Clarity? Definitely not.

Now, I’m not telling you this to shame-scroll you into deleting your apps. I’m telling you because I see it everywhere. Smart, capable people who feel exhausted, unfocused, and frustrated with themselves… blaming it on a lack of discipline.

But here's the truth:

You don’t need more focus. You need less noise.

Let’s talk about how to reclaim your brain (or listen to it here)

Our attention spans are being hijacked

According to researcher Gloria Mark, in her book Attention Span, the average time we spend on one screen task before switching is just 47 seconds.

Forty-seven. That’s less time than it takes to boil my kettle!

We’re not wired to always be wired. And we're certainly not built to switch contexts 500 times a day and still feel calm, clear, and creative.

Every ping, pop-up, and “quick check” drains your mental fuel tank, what scientists call "attentional resources". When that fuel runs out, you don’t just lose focus. You lose your ability to think clearly, make good decisions, and stay present.

It’s like trying to run a marathon on five sips of water. Unsurprisingly, most of us are crawling to the finish line of our day, wondering why we feel so burnt out.

The real problem isn’t focus. It’s distraction

Productivity advice is absolutely everywhere. Time-blocking. Pomodoros. Deep Work. I’ve tried them all, and most offer great advice. But before you add another strategy to your plate, ask yourself: what’s already getting in the way?

Because more often than not, what you need isn’t more hacks. You need less crap cluttering your brain.

Nir Eyal explains it perfectly in Indistractable:

Traction = anything that moves you closer to your goals
Distraction = anything that pulls you away from them

Distraction isn’t something that “happens” to you. It’s a decision. One that usually comes from avoiding discomfort: boredom, stress, self-doubt.

Which brings me to the next big shift…

You interrupt yourself more than your phone does.

Yes, notifications are annoying. But the real culprit? Our own internal triggers.

We check our phones not just because they beep, but because we’re picking them up compulsively to avoid something.

It might be a difficult work task, a tough feeling, or even silence ("Wait, what now? Am I supposed to just be alone with my thoughts??")

I used to listen to audiobooks in the shower. (I know, that’s not multitasking, that’s manic.) But honestly, if I reflect I wasn’t chasing wisdom. I was avoiding stillness.

I was obsessed with learning. Podcasts on my commute, audiobooks while cooking, newsletter subscriptions out of control. And while learning is amazing, I had to ask myself: am I feeding my brain or avoiding my uncomfortable emotions (fear of failure, imposter syndrome)?

Even the “good” stuff like reading the news, following thought leaders, can become a distraction if it’s compulsive or constant.

If I’m scrolling an app while convincing myself it’s for ‘research’, I’ve started to question: is this traction, or is it just another form of digital avoidance?

Reclaiming your brain starts with subtraction

Here’s the shift:

📌 Before you add another tool, delete a few distractions.

📌 Before you build a new habit, remove the stuff that’s getting in the way.

📌 Before you blame yourself, look at your environment.

A few ways to do that:

✔ Do a one-week time audit. Where is your attention actually going?

That’s what I did after the screen time disaster.

I started tracking everything, like phone daily use to mindless tab-switching, and I was positively horrified.

I was calling myself a wellbeing coach, but I was behaving like a content junkie! No wonder I felt so scattered.

✔ Set app limits or block sites that are habitual time drains

I now have time caps on both Instagram and The Guardian: 20 minutes a day. That’s it. Once it’s up, it’s up.

✔ Turn off 90% of your notifications. I haven’t had email or breaking news pings or WhatsApp group phone notifications for years. I can't tell you how much it's helped my peace. My phone goes into sleep mode after 9pm. If it’s urgent, people can call twice. Otherwise, it can wait.

✔ Declare device-free zones (ours is the living room after dinner). My husband and I have a rule: no double screening in the living room or at the dinner table. If we’re watching something together, phones go away. Not just to be present, but to protect each other’s attention too.

✔ Design rituals that nudge you into focus. For example, I use noise-cancelling headphones and listen to lo-fi beats when I write. It’s a signal to my brain: “this matters".

✔ Schedule 15 minutes of “scatterfocus” time every afternoon. This idea is from Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus. Walk. Stare out the window. Fold laundry. Let your mind wander. It’s not wasted time, it’s brain fuel!

You don't have to be a monk. Just intentional

I’m not perfect at this. I still scroll. I still procrastinate. But I also design my days around traction.

Most mornings I do what Cal Newport calls Deep Work from 6.30 to 9.30am. That’s when my brain is clearest. Then I take a break. Go to the gym. Move my body. Come back refreshed.

By noon, I’ve usually already ticked off my most important task of the day. The rest can be admin or distracted work, stuff that doesn’t need full focus.

And if it’s not in my Google Calendar, it’s not happening. Workouts, coffee with friends, podcast recording, it all gets scheduled. My diary runs my life, but in the best possible way!

My husband and I even sync our calendars each week. We plan our date nights ahead of time. We also set our non-negotiable commitments, and he knows my recurring focus hours. Honestly, it’s been a game changer for managing expectations and protecting energy.

And most Sundays? I do a full-on phone sabbath. No emails. No Instagram. No news apps. Suddenly, I have time to read, write, make music, check on my sad-looking plants, and be with the people I love. Funny how that works.

Also, when online, I spend my attention where I fill my traction bucket over my distraction bucket. I’m spending more time on Substack these days. Instagram feels like work, a constant stream of wellness BS and polished perfection. Substack, on the other hand, actually sparks ideas. So it feels like traction. Not noise.

I know not everyone has my exact schedule. But you can still protect your best brain time. Whether it’s 8-9 am before the house wakes up, or 2-3pm when your energy spikes, guard it. Design your life around it.

Because here’s the truth: your attention is the most precious resource you have. And you get to decide how you spend it.

Try This:

This week, ask yourself this one powerful question throughout the day:

🧠 Is this action traction or distraction?

Then track your answer. No judgement. Just awareness.

So this week, I leave you with this: What would change if you treated your attention like money? Where would you invest it? And what would you stop spending it on?

Reply and let me know! I'd love to hear from you :)

With love,
Noemie x

PS: Here's the reading list with the books that informed this piece. All 1000% worth your attention!